Ceres: Grand Prix
by t.j.guard
Summary: With enemies in hot pursuit, the Ceres comes to understand the nature of their determination and must do everything in her power to counteract it and protect those around her.
1. Chapter 1

Ceres: Grand Prix

Disclaimer: I don't own Cars

Chapter One

Arrival in pit row in Motorspeedway of the South signified, to Lexie, the end of an uneventful season which started much too eventfully for her tastes. She signed on to the communication system, glanced at Mater and Sarge, and looked up at the screen, which showed the racers lining up at the starting line. "You got this, Dad," she said.

"You can race circles around them cars," Mater added.

"He's right. Go get 'em."

"Will do, guys," Lightning said in her ear.

Lexie's eyes drifted to the red lights above the starting line, and then her eyes scanned the crowd, or what she could see of it. A familiar, scarred aquamarine Pacer met her gaze and smiled. She returned the gesture, and Mater said, "Looks like you done got you a boyfriend."

"He's just a friend who helped me out once," she replied. "Least I could do was get him a free ticket to the Piston Cup finals, and if you were smart, you'd have done the same for your girlfriend."

"Well, I did, but she had to go on a mission with Finn, somethin' about talkin' to the Professor and a few important lemons and whatnot."

"Montgomery business, basically."

"Yep, Montgomery business. Ah course, that jus' leaves me and McQueen here to look after you in case anything bad happens."

"And Alex."

"Yer boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend."

The lights flashed green, and the racers took off. "Go McQueen," Mater shouted, making Lexie wince slightly and roll her eyes. Mater was easily, tires down, her father's biggest fan.

Lexie made eye contact with Alex again, and she thought she saw a flash in his eyes, perhaps one of warning. She checked her mirrors and scanned the crowd again. "They're not supposed to be here," she said.

"What?"

"There are cars here that weren't here earlier, and they're not supposed to be here. Something's wrong."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Look at the entrances." Mater did. "See the black and silver sportscars, and a few of the other cars around them?"

"Yeah."

"Those are Montgomery's personal agents and a few off-duty field agents."

"How'd you know all this?"

"Finn told me how to pick them out in a crowd."

"Oh."

"He's a good car. He looks out for us."

"You better believe it."

Lexie studied the cars clustered at the entrances. Among the typical silver and black cars were the occasional yellow, red, blue, and purple cars. "The cars that aren't silver or black are field agents not on other missions. They probably don't even know what they're here for."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that Montgomery views me as a threat."

"Wow, Finn done taught you a lot."

"Yeah, he did."

CARS

"Thank you for having me, gentlemen," Finn said as he drove into the small conference room in the back of a warehouse owned by the Gremlins. Zundapp was to his left, and the heads of the Four Families eyed him with mixed expressions of anger and wariness. "I wish this could be under better circumstances, but I cannot change what has happened."

"Get on with it," Tubbs hissed.

Zundapp said, "Montgomery has been tracking the Ceres' movements ever since the start of the racing season and has reached the Motorspeedway of the South."

"What's this gotta do with us?" Curby snapped.

"Everything," Finn replied with a quick glance in his mirror. "It's a delicate matter, and while we could be on scene within several minutes with Siddeley's help, we could trigger a volatile situation and cause more damage than if we stay here."

"You're gonna trust a tow truck and a few airheaded racecars?" Tubbs asked.

"Alexa is not airheaded, and as a matter of fact, Mater is much smarter than you give him credit for."

"Gentlecars, please," Zundapp said, rolling between Finn and the lemon heads. "We're not here to argue. We're here to debrief with regard to Montgomery and his agents."

"So let's get to debriefin'," Vladimir replied.

"Very well, if you insist," Finn said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Lightning pulled into the pits, where Guido changed his tires and Fillmore hooked him up with his organic fuel. "Anything weird?" he asked Lexie.

"Uninvited guests," she replied in a low voice, glancing toward the nearest entrance. "Montgomery's, for sure."

"Think you can handle it?"

"Me and Miss Lexie got this one covered," Mater said, playfully shoving Lexie's fender.

"Okay, you're good to go, man," Fillmore said.

"Gotta go," Lightning said as he drove out of pit row.

"You sure about those guys?" Sarge asked.

"Positive," Lexie replied, glancing up at the lap counter. Four hundred eighty-eight laps. She looked at the screen following the racers around the track. "Keep holding the inside and you'll do fine."

"Okay," Lightning replied.

"And remember," Mater said. "You're awesome."

"Thanks, Mater."

Lexie glanced at Alex's seat, only to find it empty. Several other Pacers drove toward the entrance, where Gremlins and Trunkovs were already in a standoff with sportscars. "Guess the bubble's about to burst," she whispered, glancing up at the lap counter. Four hundred ninety-five. "Five more laps," she said over the intercom.

"Aww, I'm just getting warmed up," Lightning said, pretending to whine.

"We have the dirt track around Willie's Butte, and besides, isn't the Grand Prix next week?"

"Now that sounds like a challenge, and besides, I owe Francesco a whooping for last year."

"Dad, stay on track, but keep holding the inside. Don't try to beat yourself to the finish line, okay?"

Lightning chuckled. "Okay, baby girl."

The lap counter read four hundred ninety-seven. Alex and a few other Pacers, Trunkovs, and Gremlins, and possibly a Hugo or two, were still locked in a standoff with the sportscars and other agents. "What's goin' on over there?" Mater asked.

"Nothing good," Lexie replied. "It's making me nervous."

"Well, ya don't have to wait long. Look."

She looked up at the lap counter and then the live feed. Fourth turn of the last lap, according to the commentators. Two other racers were gaining on Lightning, and she thought, C'mon, Dad. You can do this.

Then, four hundred yards to the finish, a silver sportscar shot onto the track, attracting immediate attention. Lexie followed him, attracting even more attention. She pulled up next to the sportscar. "If you're after my dad, you can forget it," she said.

"We're looking for you," the sportscar replied in a heavily accented voice. He sped up, and she followed suit.

"I'm not gonna make it easy. I hope you know that."

"I read the reports."

"Do you know why Montgomery sent you after me?"

"He never tells us why he wants us to do anything. He just expects us to do as he says, or it will cost us our jobs."

"So what would you choose? Being employed, or having a clean conscience?"

The sportscar paused, his mouth slack. After a moment of staring at her, he looked down at the track. Lexie stole a glance at the screen showing the race. It took her a moment to realize that the race was over, and when she and the sportscar crossed the finish line, they were swarmed by security. They skidded to a stop. Lexie took a deep breath and asked, "What do you want to know, officers?"

CARS

After Lexie gave her statement, she drifted over to where the rest of Team McQueen waited for her. "What was that about?" Lightning asked.

"I thought he was after you, so I went after him," Lexie replied. "We got everything straightened out with security, and that sportscar George is a pretty nice car. He was just doing his job, even though he isn't sure exactly what it is."

"Oh, there you are," George said, driving up to them. "I am so sorry about what happened, and I do believe your daughter has a point," here he looked at Lightning. "Perhaps I'm in the wrong line of work and need to rethink a few things."

"It's okay," Lightning replied. "We've got this saying in America, 'no harm, no foul.' Everything's cool."

"Oh, good."

"Did Alex and his friends give you too much trouble?"

"Oh, no, not at all. Well, I must be off. I have a flight to catch and a job to quit, but it was nice meeting you."

"Same here. Good luck finding yourself."

"Thank you."

George nodded to them and drove off in the direction of the nearest airport. "You were right," Lightning said. "He does seem like a nice car."

"Not everyone on their side is bad," Lexie said, and Lightning nodded. "So, what did I miss?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"So, I hear you met George," Alex said, falling in beside Lexie as they drove through Tennessee.

"Yeah, I did," Lexie replied. "Why does Mater have it in his head that you're my boyfriend?"

"What?"

"Mater thinks we're an item."

"An item?" He let out a nervous laugh. "We're not an item. We're just friends."

"That's what I told him."

"Where does it come from?"

"Probably your chivalrous act at the beginning of the season."

"You...thought it was chivalrous?"

"Shouldn't I have?"

Alex laughed again. "Of course. Everyone says chivalry is dead but it's not. Duh. I'm being so stupid."

"Alex, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Lexie turned around to face him. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"You're driving backwards."

"Unless that's a problem, don't change the subject."

Alex sighed and looked down at the pavement. "It's just...I don't wanna scare you away or anything, because that would defeat the purpose."

"What purpose?"

"I...I..."

"You..."

Lexie turned around and slipped in front of him just as they passed a sleeping police car. Alex let out a heavy breath. "Something about Mater's theory about us sounds like a good idea."

"You want us to be a couple?"

"No, no, no, not yet. That would just be stupid. We barely know each other. But maybe later, in the future. Sometime. Maybe."

"Okay, now you can change the subject."

"Thank the Manufacturer."

CARS

"How did it go?" Holley asked once Finn returned to Siddeley's cabin.

"Better than I expected," Finn replied. "I certainly hope the same can be said for the events at the Motorspeedway of the South."

"Alexa is in very capable tires. You said so yourself."

"That doesn't mean things can't go wrong."

"Well, that's true." Holley turned toward the computer, her eyes running over the screen without really seeing anything.

"What is it?"

"I'm just worried about Mater. Montgomery's one of our most dangerous enemies yet, and he's not to be underestimated. Mater could be killed."

"So could any one of us. Holley, Montgomery is dangerous, yes, more dangerous than Zundapp, the heads of the Four Families, or even Axlerod, and thus far, no one is the wiser except us."

"Hence my worry."

"I understand."

"We have a car to find, do we not?"

Finn chuckled. "Yes, yes we do. Let's go."

CARS

Axle settled into his chair in his living room. "Okay, let's see what we got here," he said, turning on the television. His reality show was a rerun, and the news was some of the dullest he'd ever heard. He turned the television off, and he glanced up at the clock. Ten at night, fairly early in the underworld. "Holy Ford," he groaned, closing his eyes.

"You summoned?" a familiar voice asked. Torque's semi-transparent form appeared in the corner next to the door, and he was smirking.

"Monday nights suck."

Torque laughed. "Isn't that the truth. So, what's up?"

"The stars right now."

"In no mood for night life, I see."

"Holy crap. We're talking like you're still alive."

"I thought that was a good thing, but I guess you're still not quite used to this whole dead-brother-watching business."

"Maybe I am, and it just seems weird that that's true."

Torque rolled forward. "Okay, kid, let's cut the crap and have you listen to me. Everything's gone, as a friend from the afterlife said, pear-shaped. Montgomery almost got to Alexa today, the closest he's been yet, and he's on the brink of realizing his plan. All the other pieces are in place, as far as he's concerned. Alexa McQueen's the only wildcard, and the one who could make or break his whole operation."

"Why're you telling me this, and who says 'pear-shaped'?"

"I'm telling you because you've been in contact with her, and your garage has been defined as a safehouse for her and the cars protecting her. As for who says 'pear-shaped', Leland."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A red Jaguar, also semi-transparent, appeared next to Torque, who said, "This car says 'pear-shaped'." Axle felt he was teetering on the edge of consciousness, and Torque drifted closer to him. "Axle, Axle, breathe. You gotta breathe, bro. In and out, just like I told ya." Axle inhaled slowly and then let out the breath, feeling himself relax as the air left his body. "Good."

"I see your brother takes good care of you," Leland said.

"Not used to seeing ghosts," Axle replied. "Sorry."

"It's alright."

"We've got bigger things to deal with than your potential psychosis, anyway," Torque added.

"He's right. Montgomery's plan is almost complete, and now all of his energies are focused on trying to catch a girl named Alexa McQueen. It's in our understanding that you've already been in contact with her, which is why we're coming here. She's on her way back to her hometown for the one or two days she has before she has to leave again for the World Grand Prix."

"Which is completely safe, as it has been every year but its first."

"And which could be compromised again."

"Great," Axle said. "I'm joining a spy ring full of ghosts."

"That's the best way to do it," Torque replied with a wink.

"Anyway," Leland said, "we know that unless he has a good reason, Finn will take Alexa here at the first sign of complete disaster, and if she does arrive here, we'll know about it."

"What about that friend of hers? Alex Pacer?" Axle asked.

"It looks like she's getting some help from unusual places," Torque said, looking at Leland.

Leland nodded and looked at Axle. "The Grand Prix could again be compromised, and our wildcard Alexa is in danger no matter where she is," he said. "I guess our point is, the only thing in our power concerning this is to warn those that can do something about it."

"And watch and try to protect," Torque added.

"Those, too."

"Be careful, bro, and keep your eyes open." Torque faded into thin air, and Leland nodded before following him. Axle blinked, unsure whether he was dreaming or not. Oh, Ford, I'm going crazy for sure, he thought, shaking his head. Then he moved toward the phone and dialled a number.

CARS

"Well, Route Sixty-Six really is a beauty," Alex said. "And you live here. Wow."

Radiator Springs appeared on the horizon. "We're almost there," Lexie replied.

"I guess the important question now is whether you want me to go on the plane with you or take a separate ride."

"Well, that depends on your objective and whether our plane is overbooked."

"The objective is basically to make sure those sportscar goons don't come after you. Whether your plane's overbooked or not, I'm not sure, but if it is, I can always call up my granduncle and hitch a ride on the copter and follow you."

"Well, maybe you should talk to my dad."

"Talk to me about what?" Lightning asked behind them.

"Some flight arrangements," Alex said, drifting back. "My boss wants me to watch after your daughter, so I think I'm gonna need to know a few things before the Grand Prix starts."

"Okay, what do you need to know?"

Lexie sped up slightly to give the two cars a little space. Fillmore and Sarge were arguing for the sake of it, and Luigi and Guido were discussing something having to do with Ferarris and tires. Lexie scanned the desert as they approached Radiator Springs, and everything seemed quiet.

"Hey, y'all, look who's back," Flo shouted, jerking Lexie's attention back toward Radiator Springs. The rest of the remaining residents rushed out of their businesses and lined Route Sixty-Six, and even a few tourists joined the commotion.

Lightning was pulled away from Alex by the crowd of residents and tourists, and he said, "We'll talk later, okay?"

"Fine by me," Alex replied, drifting over to Lexie's side.

"Sorry if I made you nervous," she said.

"That's okay. I guess in your position you can't afford to have anybody keeping secrets from me, either."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Your dad's gonna let me fly with you guys, if he can, logistically speaking."

Lexie smiled, feeling her face warm slightly. Maybe Mater was on to something, she thought. "That's good for your job, I guess."

"Very."

She glanced in his direction, and he looked down at the asphalt. "While we're here, maybe we can go for a cruise."

"Okay." She glanced at him again, and he seemed like he was going to explode with glee. She smiled inwardly and gestured for him to follow her. The two drove down Route Sixty-Six, and Alex slipped in behind Lexie, his eyes drifting over the desert scenery. Lexie sped up slightly, and then they drove through a tunnel.

She rounded a bend, closing her eyes as the mist of the waterfall touched her side panels. She looked over at Alex, who stared at her and only came to his senses when he almost struck the guard rail. She chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Watch where you're driving, Alex," she called. "You can gawk at me later."

"Yeah, right," he replied through nervous laughter. "Safe driving comes first. Always. So, where're we going?"

"Just cruising. I don't know where we'll end up. You're not gonna break down or anything, are you?"

"I guess that's the funny thing about engine replacement. I can't remember the last time I broke down."

"Maybe if we find time, we'll get Mater to look at your engine. I'm kind of curious, but I'm fairly certain I'm right."

"Right about what?"

"Right about you having an engine like mine."

Alex looked out into the valley below as they followed the winding Mother Road past the Wheel Well and through another tunnel. The sunset colored the desert starkly, and Lexie pulled into the nearest lookout point. Alex pulled in beside her. "Are we there yet?" he asked.

"Yeah, we are," she replied.

His eyes drifted the scene below him. "Whoa," he whispered.

"Pretty cool, ain't it?"

"Very cool."

Lexie settled in and gave Alex a sidelong glance. The fading sunlight made his aquamarine color look more like a light violet, and it brought his scars into sharper relief. "Did it hurt?"

"Huh?"

"Did the infection hurt?"

"Yeah, sort of, until I lost feeling in my front wheels."

"Do you remember where you got the infection?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't remember a lot from before I got it."

Lexie nodded in understanding and stared off into space. After a moment, she said, "Maybe we should head back. It's getting late."

"Yeah, good idea."

The two wound their way back down Route Sixty-Six toward Radiator Springs.

CARS

Axle took a deep breath and rolled forward. The light of the sunset made this stretch of road look gloomier than he was used to. He swallowed in an effort to still the butterflies in his gas tank, and a form in the shadows made him stop. He knew there was no turning back now, and he said, "I know we don't have the best history, but thanks for coming, anyway."

"No problem," Shorts replied, rolling into the beam of a streetlight.

"I can't tell you how I know or why I can't tell you how I know, but basically, some bad shit's gonna go down at the Grand Prix, and it has to do with Montgomery and that Alexa girl." Shorts' eyes widened. "Look, that's all I know, okay? Don't ask me for stuff I can't tell you."

"I won't. You told me all I need to know, and more." Shorts rolled forward and held his tire out. After a moment, Axle shook it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Lexie awoke with a start, something she hadn't done since the start of the racing season, and she slipped out of her cone and drove toward the V8 Cafe. The only light that was on was the yellow traffic light, which partially illuminated a chassis and the left rear wheel of a car as it blinked. She drove toward the dangling car, unsure whether it was a drunk driver or a practical joke. As she approached and her eyes adjusted, she saw the slashed fuel lines, and she knew neither of her previous assumptions was true. She reached forward and tapped the car with her tire. The car swung back and forth on the cable suspending the traffic light, creaking as it moved and then settled back into its original position.

Then all was silent. A chill shook Lexie's frame, even though the night air was warm. She turned and rushed out to the sign welcoming cars to Radiator Springs, behind which the Sheriff slept. She shook the police car awake, and he asked, "Huh? What? What's going on?" Lexie gestured for him to follow her, unable to get the words she needed to say across her lips. The Sheriff drove off after Lexie, back into Radiator Springs. He turned his headlights on and looked up at the stoplight cable when Lexie indicated it. The Sheriff's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. His headlights illuminated the car's chassis more clearly, revealing not only slashed fuel lines but axles almost completely ripped out of their places, a large gash beneath the gas tank, and several other gaping holes of varying shapes and sizes in various other places along the undercarriage. Underneath the corpse was a mixture of gasoline and oil.

The Sheriff finally tore his gaze from the dangling corpse and turned toward Lexie. "How did you find this body?" he asked.

"I don't know why, but something woke me up," she rasped. "My gut woke me from sleep before, and it got me out of some pretty sticky stuff. I know it's not admissible in court or anything, but that's the truth."

The Sheriff nodded and then looked over at the corpse. "Do you know anyone who might give us any clue as to who did this?"

"Yeah, I do. Alex Pacer, in Cone Six. Maybe Mater, too."

"How about you wake Alex up? I wanna talk to him. I'll go get Mater."

Lexie nodded and drove back to the Cozy Cone, eager to get out of the crime scene. She slowed as she entered the curve lined with cones, stopping at the one numbered 'six'. She rolled up the ramp and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she knocked again, louder. A half-asleep Alex opened the door and mumbled something. "C'mon," she said, pulling him down the ramp and onto the pavement.

"What's going on?" Alex asked, more awake.

"Just c'mon."

"Lexie, seriously. What is happening?"

"Something that hasn't happened in this town in all my years," the Sheriff said from the main road. Mater was examining the body dangling from the stoplight cable, and as Alex's gaze fell on it, his eyes widened.

"I haven't seen a Trunkov style since I was fourteen," he whispered, rolling forward and switching on his headlights. "The slashes to the fuel lines are wrong, though."

"And the fuel's unleaded regular," Mater added, looking at the puddle beneath the corpse. "A car like this one runs on premium only."

Alex followed the tow truck's gaze. "The oil could be his, but it looks pretty fresh." Then he looked up at the body. "The wounds to the chassis look postmortem, and the slashes to the fuel lines are too clean, not like somebody forced his way through them. The gaping holes are a little much, almost like somebody was trying to show off a new weapon."

"What'd you jus' say?" Mater asked, looking at Alex.

"'Like somebody was trying to show off a new weapon.'"

"I gotta get Finn on the phone." Mater raced off toward the town's only pay phone to place his call, and Lexie and Alex looked at the Sheriff.

"You get all that?" Lexie asked.

"Oh, yeah," the Sheriff replied.

Lexie drove around the puddle of gas and oil and turned to face the car again. His silver body was scratched almost beyond recognition, but when she got a good view of his face, she knew who it was immediately. Then the pieces of the puzzle clicked together in her mind. "I know who did it," she said with what breath hadn't gotten taken from her upon recongition of the corpse's face.

"What're you talking about?"

"It makes perfect sense. I know who's responsible. I know who wanted George dead."

"You know the vic and the perp?"

"Okay, Finn and Holley are on their way," Mater said as he returned to the scene. "What's goin' on?"

"Tell him, Lexie."

"This is George," Lexie said, gesturing to the corpse, "and Montgomery ordered the hit."

"Well, why?" Mater asked.

"Treachery probably. He was good to us, even though he was carrying out the orders of our enemy."

"So what do we do?"

"Wait for Finn and Holley, then go from there."

CARS

"Bad news," Finn said, turning from the computer in Siddeley's cabin. "There's been a murder in Radiator Springs."

"Is Mater alright?" Holley asked.

"Absolutely. He's the one that placed the call to us."

"So who's the victim?"

"Mater doesn't know, but I suspect someone will soon enough." He turned the intercom on and said, "We're going to Radiator Springs, Sid. We have a murder to investigate."

"You've got it, Finn," Siddeley replied. Both spies could feel the plane bank a turn and then level out. Finn looked out the window at the desert below as the moon- and starlight illuminated it, giving it a sort of pale blue glow.

"Murders don't occur in small towns," Finn said.

"Maybe whoever did this is sending us a message," Holley replied.

"Or sending Alexa a message."

"It's Montgomery, isn't it?"

"We can't know that for sure until we examine the crime scene and the body."

Siddeley began to descend, and several minutes later, he touched down and lowered his ramp. Holley and Finn drove into the desert and then onto Route Sixty-Six, in between the sparse traffic. Radiator Springs was virtually asleep, save the Sheriff, Lexie, Mater, and Alex, gathered around a car suspended on the same cable as the town's only stoplight, now blinking yellow. Holley recoiled with a gasp, but the two drove on. Lexie drove around the rest of the crowd to meet them. "It's Montgomery," she said. "The perp, I mean. The body's George's. You know, one of Montgomery's agents. Anyway, George turned out to be a pretty decent guy, and it looks like Montgomery found out about his plans to quit his job and ordered a hit out on him and tried to make it look like the Trunkovs did it."

"Wait, what?" Finn asked.

"Alex can tell you more, but basically Montgomery tried to pass it off as a Trunkov killing but didn't do his extra credit very well."

Finn nodded and approached the corpse. From Holley and Lexie's standpoint, it looked as if he was engaging Alex in a conversation about the body. Holley drove over to Mater and engaged him in a conversation on the same subject.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Hours passed, and in the light of the sunrise, as the first rays of sun cast the desert sands in a scarlet light, Red, the Sheriff, Alex Pacer, and Mater took George's body down from the stoplight cable and took it into Ramone's shop for an autopsy. The Sheriff returned to the puddle and enlisted Lexie's help in collecting samples of the liquids for the evidence drawer in the Sheriff's office.

The samples had been collected within thirty minutes, and while the Sheriff began placing phone calls to crime labs, Lexie settled into the V8 Cafe and watched as Red hosed away the rest of the gas and oil. She felt as if something inside her was being washed away with it, and it left her numb inside.

Word had already gotten around town by then, of this Lexie was certain. This was the first murder in any resident's living memory, even senile old Lizzie's, who probably didn't remember very much anyway. And it wasn't just a murder. The body had been almost completely mutilated, and she wondered how no one could've woken up while the crime was taking place. Then again, she lived in the middle of a desert in a town accessible only by one road and the very few willing to drive through the desert. Ten miles from Radiator Springs, anything could've happened and no one would know.

"I'm gonna need your help again," the Sheriff said, as if he had read her mind.

"Let me guess," Lexie replied. "We're combing the desert in a ten mile radius from town for clues."

"Exactly. I know you do a lot of driving out there, so I have a feeling you'll have an idea of what's off and what's not." Lexie nodded slowly. "I'll take the left half, you take the right half. See what you can do about marking what you find out there, okay?" She nodded again. "You doin' alright, kid?"

"I guess so. This is just so weird. I mean, murders just don't happen in places like this. That's the stuff of television shows and movies, not small towns with stable families, where we all know each other and help each other out. And it's Montgomery, the bastard that's been hunting me down for my whole life, who's behind all this. That car's a monster."

"Maybe driving around looking for clues will help you process all this."

Lexie nodded. "Let's go." She drove out into the desert slowly, her eyes scanning the desert. She spotted two sets of tire tracks leading from Radiator Springs to some distant point in the desert, and she followed at some distance, unwilling to destroy the evidence. After going a few miles, she noticed the first traces of a fluid she couldn't readily identify. She scanned the desert for the nearest bush and left twigs next to the tracks and drops of fluid. As she followed the trail, she left twigs next to the fluid until it just seemed pointless to do so.

After some time spent following the tire tracks and trail of strange fluid, she turned and drove back to Radiator Springs. The Sheriff was at the cafe with some oil, and she said, "Boy have I found something. You've gotta see this."

"We were wondering when you'd get back," Sarge said.

"What've you got?" the Sheriff asked. A moment later, he followed Lexie out into the desert. She led him to the trail of fluid, and they both followed it farther than Lexie had originally. Deeper into the desert, the fluid got thicker, until the two cars stopped suddenly.

Scattered across the desert before them were fluids in puddles of varying sizes and roughly one and a half dozen different pieces of a car. "Oh, shit," she whispered.

"That's evidence if I've ever seen it."

"I think Finn has a camera somewhere on him."

"I'm pretty sure. We're gonna need pictures of this."

"Did we get pictures of where we found the body?"

"I'll have to talk to Finn, but I think that was what he was doing with his one headlight this morning." Lexie nodded. The Sheriff turned and headed back into town, and Lexie stared into the field of carnage. The slashes all over George's body made sense then, and this could've been his cause of death. The numbness Lexie felt earlier paled into comparison to what she felt at that moment: like a frame on wheels, without so much as an engine, just being towed through life by an invisible cable attatched to an unseen truck and lacking control over her life.

Some time later, Finn drove up to the field of debris and fluids and started to take pictures. Lexie only blinked in response. Finn drove to a higher point and took some pictures there. Then he returned to the debris field and pulled up next to her. "I understand that this is something of a foreign concept for you," he said. She blinked. "If you want to talk about it, I hope you know there are cars on your side." She blinked again, and Finn lapsed into a respectful silence.

After a very long moment, Lexie looked over at Finn and whispered, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

CARS

The sun was half-way to the western horizon when Finn and Lexie drove back into Radiator Springs. Alex drove up to them before anyone could ask any questions, and he gave Lexie a once-over. "You don't look so hot," he said.

"I just figured out how a car died," she replied, more flatly than she intended. "What do you expect?"

"Actually, something like this. Maybe a faint, or some barf. Compared to some other guys I've seen, you're taking this whole murder thing very well."

"Uh, thanks, I think."

"So, do you feel better?"

"I can carry on conversations, so I think so."

"Okay, good. Wanna go for another drive, clear your mind?"

Lexie nodded, and Alex smiled and settled in next to her. They drove through town and down the winding road, slower than they had the previous night.

CARS

Holley settled in next to Mater, and Finn and Lightning exchanged pleasantries over some oil. "Find anythin' about the murder?" Mater asked after a moment.

Finn looked at Mater and Holley. "Have we found anything?" he asked, starting to chuckle. "Sorry, I really shouldn't laugh, but yes, we did find something. Holley, if you don't mind." Holley deployed her two mice and turned on her holographic screen. Mater drove so that he could see the screen, and Finn sent the pictures to Holley to be projected on the screen.

Mater's eyes widened as the pictures of the carnage appeared. "Dad gum," he whispered. "What happened?"

"It looks like our friend George was being gutted alive and really put up a fight," Holley replied.

"Didn't do him much good," Lightning said.

"Obviously."

"Any word from Ramone?" Finn asked.

"Autopsy's not finished yet," Lightning replied, "but I guess this makes sense based on what we know so far."

Holley turned the screen off and tucked her mice away. "What about Alexa?"

"Wait, my daughter's not safe?"

"Not with Montgomery openly killing other cars in small towns," Finn said.

"If your theory is true."

"Do you have any other suspects?" Holley asked.

Lightning sighed. "Can we just focus on protecting my daughter, okay? I don't think I can handle some creep going after her and killing cars to do it."

"Relax, McQueen," Finn said. "Everything will be fine. Somehow."

"Oh, gee, that's comforting."

"It's the best I can give for a very tricky situation such as this one. It isn't as if we can take her somewhere, because Montgomery and his agents have been following her throughout the racing season. Radiator Springs may tactically be the safest place for her, but if we do anything, he will know. That's what makes this much harder than it should be."

"Maybe you should talk to Shorts and Zundapp," Holley said. "You three have been working on this for years, and you're all working closely against deCarteran and Montgomery. I'll stay here and hold the fort."

Finn looked at Lightning and Mater, who both nodded, and then he looked at Holley, who imitated the gesture. "Alright," he said. "I'll be right back. I have a phone call to place." Finn drove off out of Radiator Springs.

He pulled onto the side of the road and turned on his communication system, placing a conference call. "Ja?" Zundapp asked.

"Hello?" Shorts asked.

"Murder, she wrote," Finn said. "Right here in Radiator Springs?"

"Why not L.A. or somewhere where murder is normal?"

"The killer is sending a message," Zundapp said. "Tell us more, McMissile."

"Victim, George Townsend, a personal agent for Montgomery. Prime suspect, Montgomery himself," Finn replied.

"It is definitely a message. Montgomery wants Alexa to know that he's watching her and means business, as the Americans say."

"According to Alex, Montgomery tried, and failed, apparently, to cover up his involvement in the crime, but so many styles are used at once it's hard to tell exactly who he intended to blame."

"Alex Pacer himself, of course."

"What?" Shorts and Finn asked at the same time.

"You do not know? Alexander Pacer is what's known as a messenger, a lemon who floats between the families and negotiates, only rarely delivering offers that other cars can't refuse."

"Apparently Trunkovs don't do very much killing, because he told me the last Trunkov style he'd seen was when he was fourteen," Finn said.

"Trunkovs don't get a lot of lip most of the time."

"One of the luckiest of the Four Families, if you ask me," Shorts added.

"Alright, look, we could move Alexa, but Montgomery and his agents would follow," Finn said. "Tactically, Radiator Springs may be the safest place for her, especially as the tourism season begins to wind down and McQueen's preparing for the Grand Prix, but the safest action for her to take is to go about life as normal."

"Speaking of, Axle told me something about the Grand Prix," Shorts said. "He said he had to talk to me, and he couldn't say why or who told him, but he said something about the Grand Prix being compromised again, I think by Montgomery."

Finn closed his eyes and shook his hood. "Considering his track record, we all need to be represented. Shorts, I'll be in touch with a few mutual tuner friends of ours. Zundapp, I'm sure you know who to contact. Shorts, if you want to send anyone else, let me know."

"Okay."

"Understood," Zundapp said.

"I'll be in touch," Finn replied, hanging up.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"You want us to do what?" Boost asked over the phone.

"I want you to get yourselves to Tokyo and into the promotional party for the World Grand Prix," Finn replied.

"Do you have any idea how hard that is?"

"It's not too hard. I've done it."

"Yeah, but you're, like, Finn McMissile, super-spy car."

"As flattered as I am that you think so highly of me, you really don't have much choice. Alexa will be there, and so will Montgomery and his agents."

"And the best racers in the world and damn near every cop in Japan."

"And a few lemons, which probably means a few dozen or a few hundred. Just go in with the rest of Team McQueen and Alex's group. The closer you are to the middle of the group, the more likely it is that you will escape notice. Oh, and I'd get going now. The team leaves at latest early tomorrow morning."

Boost glanced at his three friends, who nodded, and asked, "How're we gonna get there?"

"I'll arrange that. Wait there until you see Siddeley."

"Okay."

Finn hung up, and Boost turned to the other tuners. "We better go, or we'll be late for our flight," he said.

CARS

Lightning kissed Sally goodbye, and Lexie looked at Alex. His presence reassured her, and she rolled forward into the vanguard with her headlights on. Alex settled in next to her and exaggerated a yawn. "Who gets up at four in the morning?" he asked.

"Dude, you're going to the World Grand Prix, the biggest series, well, ever," Lexie replied. "Who wouldn't get up at four in the morning for something like that?"

"A sane person who'd rather be at home watching it on TiVo."

"You wanna TiVo the Grand Prix? Dude, something must be wrong with you. Did your engine donor crash at birth?"

"How the hell would I know?"

"Speaking of, did you ever get Mater to pop your hood?"

"Nope. Almost forgot about it, actually. Been busy with other things."

"Like the murder."

"Yeah. Professor called last night. He wants me to make sure you're okay, which is basically the same thing I've been doing ever since I met you. He said that some tuners and Finn and Holley would be looking out for you, too."

"He probably thinks pretty highly of me if he wants to keep me out of enemy tires."

"Who wouldn't?"

"Alrighty, who's ready for the Grand Prix?" Lightning asked. After a chorus of 'yes'es and Mater's usual cheer, Team McQueen drove off down Route Sixty-Six to the nearest airport, somewhere in Texas. In a blur, she found herself on a plane next to Alex and behind Lightning and Mater, flying into the sunrise.

Alex looked from the window to Lexie. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess so, considering," she replied.

"Be honest."

"You think I'd lie to you?"

"Yeah, pretty much. You've been giving the same answer to pretty much everybody. Tell me the truth."

"What truth is there to tell?"

"Why don't you answer that one?"

Lexie sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm scared," she whispered, turning away from him slightly. He rested a tire on hers.

"Everything's gonna be fine," he whispered.

CARS

Finn glanced at his readouts. "Siddeley's following us," he whispered to Holley.

"Are you sure about this?" she replied.

"If Alexa moves, a squad of protectors must move with her, at least until this Montgomery business is resolved."

"This isn't business, Finn. It's a matter of life and death. The murder in Radiator Springs proved that much. This is not just business."

Finn sighed. "I know." Holley recognized the tone at once. He'd used it in Big Bently, when Mater revealed that he really was just a tow truck and she had said that he wasn't joking. He understood the situation perfectly clearly, perhaps even better than she did. "Tread carefully," he whispered after a long moment. Holley nodded, her eyes scanning the plane's interior. She spotted Mater, Lightning, Alex, and Lexie on the other side of the aisle.

Then she looked over at Finn, who looked out the window, and she stared at the back of the seat in front of her.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The plane landed in the Tokyo airport, and Lexie and Alex followed Team McQueen off the plane. On the tarmac, she spotted four tuners approaching them, and she slipped around the group to meet them. "Finn McMissile sent us," the purple Mitsubishi in front said.

Lexie gave the tuners a once-over. "You sure about that?" she asked.

The Mitsubishi gestured to the plane the tuners took with them. "The plane's name is Siddeley."

"Finn's plane?"

"Yep."

"Had to check. Anyway, why'd he send you?"

"Because apparently, wherever you go, trouble follows."

"There's a shocker."

"Look, just let us slip in with you, and we'll help take care of everything else. There should be a few lemons on the way, too, for the same reason, except the Professor probably sent them."

"Alex is already with us. Why do they need to send his friends?"

"Try Montgomery on for size. You'll probably meet him in a couple days."

"Don't think I want to, considering."

"Everything okay over here?" Alex asked when he drove up to the five cars.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Lexie replied. "Apparently Finn sent these tuners as added protection against this Montgomery freak."

"Well, we'll need all the help we can get. Clearly he means business. Okay, you four, let's go. We've gotta find our hotel."

Alex, Lexie, and the tuners drove across the tarmac, rejoined the rest of Team McQueen, and after a brief period of explaining, drove toward the hotel.

CARS

"Okay, we're in," Boost whispered over the communication system.

"Excellent," Finn replied. "I trust you'll know what to do."

"Yeah."

"Great. Any sign of him yet?"

"Not yet, but we just got here. I think the lemons are starting to get here."

"Good. Keep up the good work."

Finn hung up, and Boost looked at his three friends, huddled in a corner. Then he looked over at Alex and Lexie, asleep in the corner oppsoite, closer to the door. He turned and studied the parking lot far below, which contained only a few cars huddled about. "Weird," he whispered, turning to drive over to Alex, shaking the Pacer awake.

"Mmm, what?" Alex asked.

"We've got company in the back lot."

Alex's eyes widened. "What?"

"C'mon." Alex glanced at Lexie. "She'll be fine."

"I know that, but I'm still pretty worried about her."

"She'll be in good tires. I trust those cars with my life." Boost gestured to the three sleeping tuners in the corner.

"You know 'em better than I do."

"Now, let's meet our unwanted guests."

CARS

Alex peered out from behind the dumpster and whispered, "Looks like Montgomery's cars. Lexie told me about this sort of thing, except this time it looks like they're asleep."

"Okay, this is getting weirder and weirder," Boost replied. "Now what?"

"Well, better not to wake them. Let's go back."

Boost shrugged and followed Alex back into the hotel. He glanced over his fender at the door, beyond which their unwanted guests slept. "Who sleeps in a parking lot?" he asked as they drove up the ramp.

"Somebody waiting to take out a hit, or carnap somebody. They'll be up when they're absolutely certain everyone else is asleep."

"So we may as well be up, too."

Alex settled into next to Lexie, and Boost joined the tuners in the corner. Lexie's eyes fluttered open, and she muttered, "You went somewhere."

"Yeah, I did," Alex replied. "We have company, and they're waiting for you."

"Great. That guy must never do his own work."

"We're gonna stay up and wait for them. You get some rest."

"I don't need to be protected, Alex. I'm not some damsel in distress from a fairy tale."

"You're still being hunted."

"Doesn't matter. I can hold my own against the sportscars, you and I both know that. Whatever's gonna happen is gonna happen. It's physically impossible to protect someone from fate."

"It's not about protecting you from fate. It's about protecting you from a very real threat that can be avoided."

"Alex, I can take care of myself. Please don't argue this with me."

Alex sighed. "Okay," he said. "You have a huge party tomorrow night. Everyone will be there. Our chances are good that Montgomery and or his minions will show up looking for you, if they don't get to you tonight."

"If they want us, they're gonna get both of us, because if they take you, they take me, too, and I have a sneaking suspicion you'd jump into the fire after me."

"Yeah, I would."

"Now that that's settled, let's wait for some of our dear friends."

CARS

Lexie began to nod off for the umpteenth time before jerking herself awake. The sound of engines approaching from down the hall drove her to shake Alex awake, and she whispered, "They're coming."

The two rolled closer to the door as the sound of engines approached, passed, and then drifted away from them. Lexie exhaled softly and rolled backwards, her eyes closing. Before she could register anything, she fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Lexie glanced at Alex and the tuners and then crossed the lobby to the rest of Team McQueen. "Everything okay?" Lightning asked.

"Yeah, considering. Ready to party?" Lexie replied.

"Are you?"

"We're McQueens, Dad. We can handle anything."

"Ain't that the truth," Mater said.

"Well, we'd better go. Don't wanna be too late," Lightning said.

"And I've got a feeling these guys," Lexie gestured to the tuners as she spoke, "won't wanna deal with all the security that comes with all those VIPs showing up."

Lightning flashed them an uncertain look, and Boost said, "We'll be fine."

"Yeah," DJ added. "If anyone can hide from some petty officers, it's us."

Lightning looked at Lexie and Alex, who both nodded, and said, "Let's go."

The group drove out of the hotel, the tuners in the middle, and Lexie and Alex flanking the group. Somewhere along the way, Lexie noticed that Finn, Holley, and a few lemons fell in behind the group at various points along the way. The group, then numbering around two dozen, split into two on approaching the venue. Team McQueen proper entered through the front door and party security.

Lexie scanned the thin crowd of early birds before spotting Alex, the tuners, Holley, Finn, and a small group of lemons entering through what she assumed was a back door. She drove over to the ice sculpture in the middle of the room, of a variety of cars, from rally cars to formula racers, and Alex, Finn, and Holley joined her. "Kind of a strange sculpture for a race, but I guess it makes sense," she said. "I've heard that all sorts of racecars are eligible."

"You've heard correctly," Holley said, "at least, according to Mater, but the Manufacturer knows how much of it is true. I mean, this is Mater we're dealing with."

"Speaking of, those spy stories that you're allowed to tell him are being stretched out into weird little tales that he's telling the tourists."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. I really doubt a lot of the details, but what can you do? The tourists all think they're just funny little stories, and they move on with their lives and probably forget whatever they heard."

"I'll have to have a word with Mater about that. Excuse me." With that, Holley drove away.

"Probably has to talk to him about security and such," Finn said.

Lexie shrugged. "What can you do?" she said again, turning from the ice sculpture to the rest of the party. Francesco Bernoulli and his entourage were just rolling through the door at what could be technically be considered fashionably late. She rolled forward, rolling beside her father as the Italian approached.

"_Bono seda_, McQueen," Francesco said cheerily. "Who is this?"

"Oh, that's my daughter," Lightning replied.

"Oh, a Mini McQueen. Equally slow, I presume."

Lexie erupted into a fit of laughter. "Sorry," she said as she began to recover herself. "I'm adopted. You can't play the make-and-model card on me."

"No matter. Tomorrow you will see Francesco whoop your father's sorry baby butt to death."

"Guess again, Fragile," Lightning replied, pronouncing the last word as if it were Italian.

"Fragile. You call a-Francesco fragile?"

"Certainly can't stand up to an army of armed-to-the-teeth sportscars, that's for sure," Lexie said, glancing at such a group passing through the front door. Francesco turned and followed her gaze.

"Okay, what do we do?" he asked, anxiety seeping into his voice.

Lexie turned to Lightning and Francesco "Act normal." They both gave her confused looks. "For you two, that probably means continue insulting each other and claiming to be able to beat the other car in a race." The two racers looked at each other. "Okay, this might not work, but at least as long as we're engaged in something there's a chance they won't take much notice of us."

"How much of a chance?"

"Pretty good." Lexie glanced at the door again. The room was more crowded than it had been a few minutes prior. "What racecars wouldn't talk about the next day's race and how they're gonna kick each other's bumpers?"

"It's not talk. Francesco always-a wins."

"Except when he's racing me," Lightning said.

Lexie chuckled and glanced at Holley and Mater, who looked to be engaged in a serious discussion, and then scanned the room for Finn, who was discussing something with a Zundapp Janus wearing a monocle, a Zundapp she assumed was the Professor she'd heard so much about. Alex was talking to a group of nearly-perfect-looking lemons as they slowly made their way to the punch bowl. The sportscars moved throughout the crowd as if they belonged there, and they seemed to socialize easily. They didn't want suspicion on them if anything went wrong.

She glanced at the punch bowl again, where Alex and the lemons were talking. "Excuse me," she said. "I think I'll get some punch." She approached the group of cars, casting a sidelong glance at a nearby cluster of sportscars.

"They makin' ya nervous?" Alex asked, jerking Lexie out of her thoughts. She nodded.

"Alex told us the whole story," a Pacer said. "We all figured we may as well be here in case the whole place went to hell."

Alex gestured to the Pacer. "That's Uncle Tubbs. Technically granduncle, but yeah."

Lexie shook tires with the Pacer. "He won't shut up about you," he said. "Now I see why."

Alex gestured to the Gremlin next to Tubbs. "J. Curby Gremlin."

"From Detroit," the Gremlin added.

"He always insists on that," Alex said, continuing on with the introductions. Next to Curby was a Trunkov named Vladimir, and next to Vladimir was a Hugo named Victor. Both watched her with narrow eyes. "It's okay," Alex said. "Not a lot of lemons trust cars like you to not burst out laughing."

"I guess that's a testament to how and where I grew up," Lexie replied. "It's nice meeting you all. Sorry the situation's so bad you all had to turn out to this."

"Well, it could be worse," Tubbs said.

"Probably is, considering the Professor's here," Curby replied, looking at Tubbs.

Lexie glanced at Finn and the Zundapp, who now approached the group. She heard something about speaking of the devil, presumably from Vladimir, and in her peripheral vision, she saw Victor nod. "I see you've been introduced," Finn said brightly. "How is the punch?"

"Not poisonous," Alex replied. "I checked."

"Oh, that's good." Finn lowered his voice. "They're asking around. Has one approached you yet?" Alex and Lexie shook their hoods, and after exchanging a look, the other four followed suit. "Good."

"So she's not the only one who's nervous."

"With good reason." Finn looked over his fender at the nearest group of silver and black sportscars.

"Why should we listen to this car again?" Victor asked.

"He worked under Montgomery," the Zundapp replied. "I challenge any one of you to determine whether you know our enemy better than he does." Victor lapsed into a begrudging silence, and Lexie nodded in a way to indicate that she was impressed. Alex smiled and nodded to her, indicating that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Now that that's cleared up," Finn said, "We can't exactly loiter here." He adopted a lighter tone and said, "I highly recommend the sushi bar, but I suggest you go easy on the wasabi. It's unusually strong, I've been told." Lexie, Alex, and, amazingly, the four lemons chuckled, and they followed Zundapp and Finn across the room slowly, engaging in some casual conversation.

CARS

"So do you understand everything I just said to you?" Holley asked, turning to face Mater.

"I understand perfectly," Mater replied. "I gotta be a little more careful talkin' about all that super-secret agent stuff that you do."

"Good. Can you do that?"

"I can try."

"That's all I can ask. Thank you."

"No problem."

"And I'll be the first to admit that I do talk a little bit too much."

"That's okay. I get to talkin', too. How'd you think I got in that whole secret agent mess to begin with?"

"And you did a fine job of it."

"Uh, thanks, I think."

Holley smiled and turned back toward the crowd. "Oh, look, everybody's here," she said.

"You mean our sportscar friends from the start of the season?"

"And some of our lemon friends, oh, and the racers, of course." She drifted closer to him and whispered, "Mater, listen to me. If anything goes wrong, help evacuate this entire room. Alexa can stand up for herself just fine, but the rest of these racers I'm a little worried about. Bernoulli, for instance. He does look a bit fragile."

"Oh, McQueen can race circles around that car."

"Yes, I know, but stay focused. Our silver and black friends aren't supposed to be here, and odds are, there are even more uninvited guests just waiting to crash the party."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The four other lemons dispersed to the fringes of the now packed room, and Alex pulled in next to Lexie at the ice sculpture. "Those are the heads of the Four Families," he explained. "They're pretty okay most of the time, but be sure not to piss them off."

"Got it," she replied.

"So far as I can tell they seem to like you, though."

"Explains why Victor Hugo kept giving me the Evil Eye."

"He does that to almost everybody."

"So that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"I was hoping."

Lexie sighed. "Can't this day just be over with so I can get out on the track with my dad?"

"Wouldn't you wish, huh?"

"If only we could be so lucky." Lexie managed a smirk and scanned the crowd. Despite the tuners, Finn, Holley, a few lemons, Team McQueen, Francesco, and the sportscars, she didn't recognize anyone in attendance. She glanced at the ceiling and then the two exits she knew of.

"Something wrong?" Alex asked.

"Not sure. All I feel is general mild anxiety, and it's all over the room. I think a lot of the others feel it, too."

"Anxiety's contagious."

"That may be true, but it doesn't explain what's causing the anxiety, which is my chief concern." Alex nodded, scanning the crowd in his own right and then looking up at the ceiling. "Finn, Holley, and that Zundapp probably wouldn't worry about something without good reason." She glanced at Alex. "Why're you looking up there?"

"I've seen this before. It's part of the Gremlin style. They send their agents in beforehand, and their only purpose is to make sure everyone stays in the room while-"

The skylight shattered, and cars began to panic. Lexie spotted Mater escorting cars to the nearest exit, and from above, an aircraft opened fire. The panic intensified.

Lexie scanned the crowd for the heads of the Four Families, finally spotting them in a corner, surrounded by armored lemons and joined by a blue tow truck. "Help Mater," she said. "I'll take care of them." She shot across the room and joined the lemons. "Okay, nearest exit's the back door. Then there's no telling how far you can safely get."

"You're gonna help us?" a black lemon just to the left of Victor Hugo asked.

"No time to argue." A bullet nicked Lexie's side panels. "See?"

"I...I'm not-"

"Shut up," Victor snapped. "We're leaving."

"Wise car," Lexie said. The tow truck hooked Victor's front axle, and the Hugos led the way along the wall, Lexie in the rear. She glanced back at Alex and Mater as they tried to clear the room against the efforts of the sportscars, and then she passed through the back door.

It seemed in that moment that she seemed to go mostly deaf. Her ears buzzed, and she barely heard the sounds of gunshots as she followed the lemons through the streets. The Hugos were leading them to the tarmac of the Tokyo International Airport.

Something pulled at her from above, and before she had a chance to understand the situation enough to resist, she was lifted off her wheels, her roof slamming into a magnet carried by a helicopter. Her vision swam with stars of all sorts of colors, and then she felt herself go limp.

CARS

Alex looked up as a chopper flew overhead; dangling from it was a magnet, and attached to the magnet was Lexie McQueen. He barely registered that at that same moment, the sportscars retreated. He shot out of the door after the helicopter, weaving through traffic for what seemed like an eternity without registering the shocked expressions of nearly every car he passed. He closed in on the chopper, and at the first available opportunity, he launched himself over a cluster of cars and let himself fly.

Finally, he was within the magnet's range, and he felt the side of his front bumper connect and stick.

His breathing was heavy, and his eyes fluttered closed. As he and Lexie drifted over Tokyo, all he could think was that he hadn't driven that fast in his entire life. Now he was dangling above a city he wasn't familiar with, his axles aching, his engine feeling more alive and energetic than ever, and in the same position as the car he was trying to protect: on the way to an unknown fate and at the mercy of their shadowy enemy, Montgomery. And what was worse, both of them were now completely helpless.

For a moment, Alex was tempted to hate himself, but he let out a sigh, fully aware that it wouldn't be worth it. He'd done more than he thought he could, something he considered impossible for a multitude of reasons, and now he was dangling above Tokyo at the side of the girl he...

He cut his thoughts off. This wasn't the time or place to think about anything like that. He had to strategize, especially with the shore growing closer as the seconds ticked by.

Suddenly the chopper banked left. The magnet swung like a pendulum, and for a split second, Alex feared he would fall off and plummet to his death somewhere in the outskirts of Tokyo. The helicopter leveled out, and the magnet came to rest beneath it, Alex and Lexie still firmly attached. Alex exhaled and glanced in his mirrors. Scores of silver and black sportscars were following, as if escorting the chopper across Japan. In the distance, he could see lights, indicating that oblivious workers were preparing the World Grand Prix track for the next day's race.

Alex's eyelids drooped, and the feeling of vitality in his engine had faded. Weariness settled into his frame, and he fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Lexie's eyes fluttered open. Her roof ached dully, as did her axles, but she hardly knew why. She scanned the cell she found herself in, and she spotted Alex in the corner, wide awake. "How did you..."

"I jumped," he replied. "It caught me."

"The magnet?"

"Figured it had to still be on for you to be stuck so tightly to it."

"You chased the helicopter for me?" Alex nodded, and Lexie grinned before looking away and blushing like a shy schoolgirl. She studied the bars that comprised the door of the cell. Beyond them lay a hallway which, as far as she could tell as she peered in both directions, was sparsely guarded, if at all. "Okay, I have guns on me. If I can control them, I can shoot the lock and we can get out of here."

"Then what?"

"Not sure yet."

Lexie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing every part of her to relax. The gun in her right hubcap slipped out of its position, and she opened her eyes and smiled. "Neat trick," Alex said.

She took aim at the lock, fired, and said, "Okay, let's go." She slipped the gun back into place as Alex pushed the barred door aside. They drove side-by-side down the corridor to a door, and Lexie tried it before slipping her gun out and shooting that lock. She pushed the door open, and Alex followed her through. She looked first left, then right, spotting a window in the latter direction, through which the rising sunlight shone. "Was I only out one night?"

"Yeah."

"It's race day, then, unless they postponed it for safety reasons, but I guess we'll find out when we get out of this mess." Lexie leaned toward the window and scanned the street only a few feet below. "Alex, back up." He complied, and she gave herself a little room before launching herself out the window.

Alarms sounded and lights flashed. Almost as if in a panic, Alex followed Lexie's lead, and they took off down the street.

In her mirror, Lexie spotted scores of black and silver sportscars in pursuit. The cars in the vanguard fired at them, and Lexie whipped around behind Alex and said, "Keep going, as fast as you can." She popped her hubcaps out, revealing a pair of machine guns. She intentionally fishtailed slightly as she fired at the vanguard of sportscars. Several cars spun out, two others fishtailed before recovering themselves. More cars replaced the cars that had lost control, and Lexie barely managed a tight left turn.

"Sounds pretty bad back there," Alex said.

"It's like dealing with a hydra," Lexie replied. "I take out a few and a few more appear out of nowhere."

"What's the most public place in Tokyo right now?"

Without a word, Lexie whipped around to the front and gestured for Alex to follow her. They wove through the streets with the sportscars on their tailpipes, and Lexie skidded to a stop just short of a security guard at the Grand Prix stadium. "Do you speak Japanese?" she asked Alex, who slid to a stop just slightly ahead of her.

"I speak English," the guard said in a slight accent.

"Thank the Manufacturer. Look, see those cars?" She gestured to the sportscars that began to swarm around them. The guard nodded. "They're trying to kill us."

The guard narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"Lexie McQueen, with Team McQueen. The Pacer's a guest."

Lexie glanced back at Alex, who seemed to regard the guard's skepticism with a degree of annoyance and a desire to be gone. She looked at the scores of sportscars, who parted like the Red Sea to allow a silver Scion tC to pass. Despite the tC's efforts to appear kind, Lexie got the impression that he was a complete freak. "I have to say I'm impressed," he said in a smooth, almost oily voice. "I wasn't expecting you to be so resourceful, or such a quick study." His smile faded. "However, as you've been trifling with me for some time, I'll have to see to it that that never happens again." He drew a gun and, instead of aiming at Lexie like she expected, pointed it at Alex. Just as he fired, Lexie shot forward, taking the shot to her side panel.

The guard called for backup in frantic Japanese, and Lexie and Alex shot into the stadium, followed by some of the sportscars and the tC. "What do we do?" Alex asked, dodging another bullet.

"Just follow me," Lexie replied, making a hard right turn and then a left. Finally, she and Alex slid across the track and into pit row just as the racers finished their preparations.

"Looks like they didn't postpone the race after all."

"What's going on?" Lightning asked.

"Long story. I'll explain later, but ironically, this is the safest place for you, and trust me," Lexie replied, turning to the sportscars, tC, and security guards.

"You really think that was a good idea?" the tC asked, giving Lexie a once-over. He rolled forward and hissed, "I'm untouchable."

"We'll see about that."

Lightning glanced at Alex, who shrugged. The guards seemed busy with the sportscars, leaving Lexie and the tC to duke it out alone. "You have quite the mouth," the tC said. "I want to know if it holds up to your skills."

"You're in luck. We're at a race track."

"That's not what I meant." He rushed forward, and before Lexie fully understood what hit her, he hit her, pushing her back several feet before she pushed back. She gained some ground before he slipped aside, sending her into the cluster of guards and sportscars-and a hail of bullets. She jerked back, and the cold steel of a gun barell pressed into her back bumper. She froze.

Lightning slammed into the tC, giving Lexie room to slip to the back. Alex joined her, his eyes constantly scanning the chaos as the announcers commented on it. "Now what?" he asked almost breathlessly.

"I don't know," she replied.

A shot fired by the tC grazed Lightning's front bumper as he turned to the side. Lexie slipped deeper into the shadows, behind Alex. She looked around in the chamber and said, "I've got an idea." She whistled, and Luigi and Guido appeared from behind their hiding places. "Guido, I know how we can stop this weirdo." The forklift's eyes widened, and he rolled forward. She crossed the room and whispered something in his ear as Luigi and Alex looked on in surprise. She pulled away, and he nodded in understanding. "Let's go," she said.

She turned back to Alex, smiled, and she and Guido drove into the eye of the storm.

Lexie whistled to the tC, said, "Come and get me," and nodded to Guido. As the tC drove toward her, Guido removed all four of his wheels with breakneck speed. "Okay, boys, he's not going anywhere," Lexie yelled to the guards. Two of them broke away from the crowd and flanked the tC, who looked between them and then at Lexie.

"How?" he whispered.

"Pit stop," Guido said, brandishing a wrench. Lexie gave him a high tire and then turned to Lightning. The gash on his bumper was leaking a small amount of fluid.

"Dad, that looks pretty bad. You should probably see a doctor," Lexie said, examining the gash more closely. "It's okay, I'll tell you everything I know."

"That's not my problem," Lightning replied. "My problem is someone attacked my daughter."

"Dad, everything's okay now."

Lightning glanced at the tC, who was towed by security trucks and surrounded by guards. What black and silver sportscars hadn't been arrested had fled, and pit row was being cleared by professionals. Two medical cars approached and proceeded to examine Lightning, and Lexie looked at Alex, who smiled and nodded in approval.

CARS

Lightning drove out of the hospital to join the rest of Team McQueen. "Hey, they patched you up pretty good," Lexie said, her eyes going to the place on her father's bumper where the gash used to be. A patch of fresh paint was the only clue that anything had happened, and it was already almost dry and barely noticeable.

"Yeah, they were great," Lightning replied. "So, what was all that about?"

"Boy, do I have a story for you."


End file.
